Olga Kern facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Olga Kern
Olga Kern
Background information
Birth name	Olga Vladimirovna Pushechnikova
Born	(1975-04-23) 23 April 1975 (age 50) Moscow, Russia
Genres	Classical
Instruments	Piano
Labels	Harmonia Mundi

Olga Vladimirovna Kern is a famous Russian and American classical pianist. She was born on April 23, 1975, and became a US citizen in 2016. She is known for her powerful and expressive piano playing.

Olga Kern's Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Olga Kern was born Olga Vladimirovna Pushechnikova in Moscow, Russia. Her parents were both pianists, and she comes from a family of musicians. Her great-grandmother was a famous singer named Vera Pushechnikova.

Olga started playing the piano at age five. She studied with Professor Evgeny Timakin at the Central Music School of Moscow. By age seven, she gave her first concert in Moscow. She won her first international competition, the Concertino Praga Competition, at age 11. At 17, she won first prize at the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition. She even received a special scholarship from the President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, in 1996.

Olga Kern's Amazing Piano Career

How Olga Kern Started Her Career

Olga Kern continued her piano studies at the Moscow Conservatory. She also studied in Italy. As her international career grew, she started using her mother's last name, Kern, professionally. From 1989 to 1994, she received a scholarship from the "New Names" Foundation. This foundation helps talented young artists.

Winning the Van Cliburn Competition

Olga Kern became very famous after winning the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June 2001. This is one of the most important piano competitions in the world. She was the first woman in over 30 years to win the Gold Medal. She shared the prize with another pianist, Stanislav Ioudenitch.

Olga has appeared in several documentaries about the competition. These include Playing on the Edge (2001) and They Came to Play (2008). A special film called Olga's Journey (2003) was also made about her after her big win.

Olga Kern as a Teacher and Judge

Besides performing, Olga Kern also teaches music. She gives special classes called master classes at places like Yale University. She has also been a judge for many international piano competitions. These include contests in Paris, Scotland, and Norway. In 2016, she was the head judge for the Seventh Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition.

Olga is a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences’s Division of the Arts. She was also the artistic director of the Cape Town Summer Festival in South Africa for several years. In 2017, she joined the piano teaching staff at the Manhattan School of Music.

The Olga Kern International Piano Competition

In 2016, Olga Kern started her own piano competition. It's called the Olga Kern International Piano Competition. It's for pianists aged 18 to 32. The competition happens every three years in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Its goal is to help young pianists start international careers. Olga Kern is the artistic director and head judge of the competition.

The first competition was held in November 2016. Twenty-two pianists from 14 countries were chosen to compete. The competition gave away $30,000 in prize money. The winner received $11,000 and a professional recording. They also got concert tours in Europe and the United States. The mayor of Albuquerque, Richard Berry, even declared November 20 "Olga Kern Day" to celebrate the competition.

Olga Kern International Piano Competition Winners

Olga Kern's "Aspiration" Foundation

In 2012, Olga Kern started a foundation called "Aspiration." She created it with her brother, Vladimir Kern, who is a conductor and composer. The foundation helps young musicians around the world. It gives them financial support and artistic guidance.

Awards and Honors for Olga Kern

Olga Kern has won many awards throughout her career. Here are some of her notable achievements:

Olga Kern's Recordings

Olga Kern has released many recordings of her piano performances. Here are some of her albums:

Olga Kern's Personal Life

Olga Kern lives in New York City. Her son, Vladislav Kern, is also a talented pianist. He graduated from Juilliard’s Pre-College School in 2016.